The Congress has retained power in Mizoram with a landslide victory in
the Assembly elections held on November 25, the results of which were
declared on Monday.

In the elections to the 40-member Assembly, the Congress has won 33 of the 39 seats declared so far.

Chief Electoral Officer of Mizoram Ashwani Kumar told The Hindu that the
results of Lawngtlai East constituency would be announced only on
December 12 as re-polling would be held on December 11 in one polling
booth where the Electronic Voting Machine failed.

In the 2008 Assembly polls, the party returned to power, ending a 10-year MNF rule, by winning 32 seats.

Now, the Opposition Mizo National Front (MNF)-led Mizoram Democratic
Alliance (MDA) of three regional parties has won six seats. The MNF won
five seats. Of the two other MDA constituents, the Mizoram People’s
Conference (MPC) won one seat, while the Maraland Democratic Front (MDF)
drew a blank. The MDA put up common candidates with the MNF contesting
31 seats, the MPC eight and the MDF one. In 2008, the MNF won three
seats, the MPC two and the MDF one.

The Zoram Nationalist Party, which had two seats in the outgoing
Assembly, contested 38 seats this time but is yet to open its account.
The Bharatiya Janata Party contested 17 seats but failed to win a single
seat this time too.

Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla won from both Serchhip and Hrangturzo
seats. In Serchhip, he won by a margin of 734 votes, defeating his
nearest MNF rival C. Lalramzauva, while in Hrangturzo he defeated his
MPC rival Lalthansanga by a margin of 1,528 votes. Mr. Lal Thanhawla
described his party’s victory as “a positive mandate by the people of
Mizoram for good governance, running a corruption free government, for
success and continuation of the New Land Use Policy (NLUP) — the
flagship programme of his Government — and for preventing insurgent
elements from using Mizoram as a safe haven.”

“The people have rejected outright the baseless campaign by Opposition
parties that there had been corruption in the State. This mandate is
also for our flagship programme NLUP because we have successfully
implemented it achieving the targets promised and set by us,” Mr. Lal
Thanhawla told The Hindu on telephone from Aizawl.

Mr. Lal Thanhawla said the Congress Legislature Party would meet on
Wednesday to elect its leader, who would be sworn in as Chief Minister.
Party sources said electing Mr. Lal Thanhawla would be a mere formality.
If elected, it would be his fifth term as Chief Minister.